It’s hard to separate Phil Jackson’s coaching acumen from his resume. He is The Man With 11 Rings. When he speaks, even the NBA’s biggest knuckleheads listen. Jackson’s aura coerced Shaq and Kobe into coexisting more than his Zen. Winning those six titles with Michael Jordan gave him more gravitas than any coach since Red Auerbach. But that won’t help him in the front office, where it’s not about getting players to get along and fit in for the team. It’s about getting players who fit, period. If Jackson can salvage the Knicks, he will truly be the smartest man in basketball.

Ruling the sectional

When Auburn joined Boylan and East (four straight trips to state in the 1940s) Friday as the only NIC-10 schools to win three boys basketball sectional titles in four years, the Knights also turned the clock back a decade. The conference seemed to always win at least a sectional title when Boylan won 14 in 18 years from 1985-2002. Now, Auburn and Boylan have combined to win four in a row since Boylan lost 59-57 to Bartlett in the 2010 finals.

Still safety hole

Keeping Charles Tillman for only $3.5 million saved Chicago’s free-agency period. The Bears added two affordable and capable defensive linemen in Lamarr Houston and Willie Young, but once again whiffed on their biggest annual need: safety. Chicago signed M.D. Jennings (a former undrafted free-agent) and Ryan Mundy (a former sixth-round pick), who are basically just two guys. Even that is an improvement over Chris Conte, but Donte Whitner, a Pro Bowler the last two years, went for only four years and $28 million to the Browns and the 49ers signed two-time Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea for four years and $22 million. The Bears could have turned their annual black hole on defense into a strength by adding two stars for barely half the cost of Julius Peppers last year.

Peppers a Packer

Even $30 million for three years sounds like a lot for Julius Peppers at age 34, but Green Bay needed drastic improvement on the defensive line and only $7.5 million is guaranteed. The Packers are usually one of the quietest NFL teams in free agency, but when they do make a splash, it has been a huge splash. Peppers at age 34 isn’t Reggie White or Charles Woodson, but he should make a bigger impact next year than anyone Chicago signed.